1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a remote management system including a management apparatus that remotely manages electronic devices (e.g., a copier, a fax machine, and a printer) via a communication adaptor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patent document 1 discloses a remote management system where image forming apparatuses (office appliances) such as copiers in a user's office (or client's office) are connected via a communication adaptor (data communication device) and a communication line such as a public line to a central management apparatus (management apparatus) in a service center.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-29354
In the disclosed remote management system, each office appliance in the client's office has a self-diagnosis function that sends serviceperson call (SC) information, which indicates, for example, a malfunction or failure of the office appliance, a maintenance timing, or a timing for replacing a consumable, via the communication adaptor and the communication line to the management apparatus. When receiving the SC information, the management apparatus transfers the SC information to a mobile terminal (e.g., a note PC) of a serviceperson who is in charge of repair, maintenance, and replacement of consumables of the office appliance sending the SC information.
When the SC information is displayed on the mobile terminal, the serviceperson visits the client's office where the office appliance is installed and performs repair, maintenance, or replacement of a consumable of the office appliance.
Meanwhile, in such a remote management system, office appliances (or electronic devices) in a client's office are normally connected to each other via a network such as a local area network (LAN) and managed by a network administrator (or a system manager) of the client.
As exemplified in (1) through (3) below, one problem with a conventional remote management system is the heavy workload of maintaining the system.
(1) It is laborious for a network administrator to manage networked office appliances in a remote management system.
(2) When introducing new office appliances into a client's office, a serviceperson has to confirm and reconfigure settings for remote management (remote management information) of existing office appliances.
(3) In an office where a remote management service has already been introduced, it often happens that remote management information (e.g., a device ID and a certificate) of office appliances is changed or deleted as a result of repair or maintenance (e.g., replacement of a motherboard). Since the remote management service cannot be provided without (correct) remote management information, a serviceperson has to set up the remote management information again.